LeBron James Explains Disagreement With Key Late-Game Foul Call vs. Timberwolves

The Los Angeles Lakers fell 116–113 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday—bringing the teams' first-round playoff series to 3–1, Wolves—but things could have been different had it not been for a successful late-game challenge from Minnesota.

Indeed, the Lakers had been leading for most of the second half when things started to change with just minutes remaining in the fourth.

After grabbing a pass from Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, Edwards was driving toward the basket with about 10 seconds on the clock when LeBron got in his way and tapped the ball out of bounds; Edwards, meanwhile, slipped to the ground. But a subsequent Minnesota challenge determined that James had hit Edwards's wrist and that the LeBron fouled Ant on the play—and that it was not a turnover.

With the Lakers down by one, Edwards got off two free throws, extending Minnesota's lead to 116–113. L.A.'s Austin Reaves then tried his best to tie it up with a three-pointer at the buzzer, but he missed the shot. And that was game.

Take a peek at that crucial call below:

During Q4 of tonight's #LALatMIN game, Replay Center officials determined the Coach's Challenge by MIN was successful and the original call of out-of-bounds was overturned to a proximate foul committed by the Lakers' LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/ymYU39zeOk
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) April 28, 2025

When discussing the moment after the fact, James explained why he believed the initial call should not have been overturned.

"That play happens all the time, you know. Hand is part of the ball, that's what they say," he said. "I felt like a hand was a part of that ball. I was able to get his hand on top of the ball, the ball stripped down, and out on him. Seen that play over and over before, but it is what it is."

"The hand is a part of the ball."

—LeBron James on Anthony Edwards' turnover with 10 seconds left being reversed to a foul called on James after a challenge by the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/hqHNp9srii
— ESPN (@espn) April 28, 2025

While James has a point that hand contact often results in a no-call, the refs explained that Sunday's decision had to do with James hitting Edwards's wrist— not his hand—during the play.

All in all, it was a tough end-of-game sequence for the Lakers, who looked like they had the win in the bag for most of the second half. At the very least, they'll have a few days to rest and get right before a very crucial Game 5 tips off on Wednesday, April 30, at 10 p.m. ET.